Executive Summary

Social media platforms play an increasingly important role in influencing shopping decisions, and sites such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube should be strong purchasing influencers this holiday season.

• As spending on social media advertising continues to rise, the most effective formats for influencing purchasing decisions appear to be mobile-focused content and video content and advertising.
• Although 58% of US consumers now say that social media influences their purchasing decisions, they continue to use social media platforms largely as a tool to find recommendations and discover and research products. Most consumers are still hesitant to make purchases directly through social media platforms.
• Facebook continues to dominate the social media sphere, including in advertising and brand content, but Instagram and YouTube may be better suited for targeting younger holiday shoppers.

Click here to read Coresight’s coverage on US holiday retail and gain key retail insights for 2019 and prior years.